Help for Stomach Sleeper

Hello Mattress Underground!

I’m in the market for a new mattress, I’m 115 - 4’10 female stomach sleeper. I’ve never had the option of choosing my own mattress it was always just provided for me. Now I’m looking to get one that works for me! I was at sleep country today and was recommended (and laid on) these two mattresses.

ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: sleepcountry.ca/sealy-posturepedic-optimum-eton-set-13
ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: sleepcountry.ca/simmons-beautyrestr-granite-iii-set-8

For me, I preferred the simmons - but realistically I only laid on the bed for a few minutes. I want to make sure I’m making the right decisions that will alleviate my lower back and shoulder/neck pain.

That being said, I would love any recommendations you have - I’m looking for a full, and ideally under $1000.

Thanks so much!

Hi kayls,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Unfortunately, the major brands such as Sealy/Stearns & Foster, Simmons, and Serta all tend to use lower quality and less durable materials in their mattresses than most of their smaller competitors that will tend to soften or break down prematurely relative to the price you pay which is why I would generally suggest avoiding all of them completely (along with the major retailers such as Sleep Country that focus on them as well) regardless of how they may feel in a showroom along with any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the type and quality/durability of the materials inside it (see the guidelines here along with post #3 here and post #12 here and post #404 here).

While I can certainly help with “how” to choose, it’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

As for stomach sleeping, there is good information here about different sleeping positions and appropriate mattress designs. Stomach sleepers generally need items with thinner, firmer comfort layers and very good support to avoid accentuating the lordotic curve of the low back region.

As for your mattress shopping research, start by reading the mattress shopping tutorial here. Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are post #2 here which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for and post #13 here which has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

While again nobody can speak to how any specific mattress will “feel” for someone else or whether it will be a good “match” in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP because this is too subjective and relative to different body types, sleeping positions, and individual preferences, sensitivities, and circumstances and you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress … outside of PPP (which is the most important part of “value”), the next most important part of the value of a mattress purchase is durability which is all about how long you will sleep well on a mattress. This is the part of your research that you can’t see or “feel” and assessing the durability and useful life of a mattress depends on knowing the specifics of its construction and the type and quality of the materials inside it regardless of the name of the manufacturer on the label or how a mattress feels in a showroom or when it is relatively new so I would always make sure that you find out the information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

In its simplest form … choosing the “best possible” mattress for any particular person really comes down to FIRST finding a few knowledgeable and transparent retailers and/or manufacturers (either locally or online) that sell the types of mattresses that you are most interested in that are in a budget range you are comfortable with and that you have confirmed will provide you with the all the information you need about the materials and components inside the mattresses they sell so you will be able to make informed choices and meaningful comparisons between mattresses and then …

  1. Careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure that a mattress is a good match for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP … and/or that you are comfortable with the options you have available to return, exchange, or “fine tune” the mattress and any costs involved if you can’t test a mattress in person or aren’t confident that your mattress is a suitable choice.

  2. Checking to make sure that there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress you are considering relative to your weight/BMI range that could compromise the durability and useful life of the mattress.

  3. Comparing your finalists for “value” based on #1 and #2 and all the other parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.

I hope that information helps point you in a more positive direction!

Phoenix

Thank you so much for the information! I’m not too sure of any other retailers who aren’t the “big box stores” do you have any recommendations? My postal code is L4J 7S5, I’m in the Vaughan area in Ontario.

Thanks!

Hi kayls,

Subject to first confirming that any retailer or manufacturer on the list that you wish to visit is completely transparent ( see this article) and to making sure that any mattress you are considering meets the quality/value guidelines here … some options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around Toronto are listed here.

If you do decide to venture online, I would consider using the expertise of the members listed in post #21 here who are all very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices. There is also a list of online mattress sources for Canadians in post #21 here.

Phoenix